The 34th District Democrats pass a resolution in support of the Seattle teachers’ strike

So far the 32nd District Democrats, the 34th District Democrats and the Metropolitan Democratic Club have issued a Resolution in support of the Seattle Education Association.

To follow is the Resolution that was passed by the 4th District Democrats.:

Resolution In Support of the Seattle Education Association Contract Proposal to the Seattle School District

WHEREAS the Seattle educators are making perfectly reasonable demands:

Professional pay: We need to attract and keep caring, qualified educators in Seattle, which is one of the most expensive cities in the United States. We’ve gone six years with no state COLA and five years with no state increase in funding for educator health care.

Guaranteed student recess: Recess time varies wildly across the district, and we believe all students benefit from a guaranteed amount of time for play and exercise.

Fair teacher and staff evaluations: Educators should be evaluated fairly and consistently, and the focus should be on providing the support all educators need to be successful.

Reasonable testing: Too much standardized testing is stealing time away from classroom learning.

ESA workload relief: Educational staff associates provide students with crucial services and support, but their current workloads mean many students aren’t getting the help they need.

Office professional workload relief: Office professionals do crucial work and play many roles – and they should be compensated for the extra work they do.

Student equity around discipline and the opportunity gap: We need to focus on equity issues across Seattle, not just in six schools.

The administration’s proposal to make teachers work more for free: It is unrealistic to expect teachers to work more hours without additional pay, and the district administration has been unable to explain how their proposal would help students; and

Whereas, Seattle educators have sacrificed for 6 years with no pay raises from Olympia, have overcrowded classrooms, too many standardized tests, and inadequate resources, and

Whereas, the Seattle School District has the financial resources to support all of the educators’ proposals;

THEREFOREBE IT RESOLVED that the 34th Legislative District Democratic Organization (LDDO) stands in support of SEA contract proposals and also acknowledges appreciation of School Board Director Sue Peters’ opposition to Superintendent Nyland’s legal threat against Seattle educators; and

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the 34th LDDO urges the Seattle School Board to agree to the SEA contract proposals.